Best day out in Montreal - so much to see and do. We loved the Japanese Tea Party and Japanese Gardens.
The exhibition greenhouses were fascinating and extensive.
Loved the Flower Power car.

The gardens are so big and yet they are so well mantained. The gardens have such a wide variety of plants and flowers that there is even a small tram to take you to different parts of the gardens. The Chinese and Japanese gardens are the two gardens not to be missed. The Chinese garden has a big lake and pagodas, while the Japanese garden had a great collection of bonsais. also on the premicise of the gardens is the insectarium. These gardens are not to be missed.

You will get great exercise in what is really a huge park in which the whole area has been turned into a garden. The insectarium is great for kids. On the whole it is one of the better options of things to do in Montreal.

I have been a volunteer at the Denver Botanic Gardens for over 20 years, so have a feeling about what makes a great garden. The Montreal Botanic Gardens exceeded my every expectation. There are 30 different gardens of all kinds. The Chinese and Japanese gardens are the largest outside of their own countries. The Rose garden has over 10,000 roses of all sizes, shapes and colors. The Courtyard of the Senses allows visitors to discover a garden with senses different than sight with plants to smell, touch, hear and taste.

I especially enjoyed one of their special exhibits, Flower Power because it showed a great sense of humor. From their brochure: "We invite you to rediscover the power of flowers, in a setting reminiscent of an era when flowers were popping up everywhere, along with "Peace and Love" and "Flower Power" slogans." Check out the picture of me in front of the VW Bug covered in ivy.

A creepy but interesting sort of place in the Gardens is the Insectarium which holds 160,000 insects and arthropods-both alive and preserved. I'm personally not fond of bugs in large numbers so I didn't stay very long. Attached to it is a magical Butterfly House, where visitors can wander among hundreds of free-flying butterflies in a garden of nectar-producing flowers. I read about how the Insectarium has hosted insect tasting evenings on weekends in November, when whole menus of unusual-to put it mildly!-treats are cooked up from insects and served to Montréal's adventurous public!

There is even a mini train that will take you around the grounds so you can get an idea of how things are laid out and which gardens you want to visit.

When you visit Montreal take at least half a day to explore this wonderful piece of nature. It will soothe your senses after days spent exploring the rest of the city.

Jardin Botanique (Botanical Gardens) 4101, rue Shebrooke est, at parc Maissoneuve, Montréal, QC · ----------